Remembering Dentistry Leaders Dr.GeorgeS.Beagrie Dr. George Simpson Beagrie of Vancouver, BC, passed away on March 3, 2023, at age 97. Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Dr. Beagrie began his dental career in Edinburgh after graduating from that city’s university in 1947. He became a professor and head of the department of restorative dentistry at Edinburgh University before he emigrated with his wife Marjorie and young family to Canada in 1968. He soon became chair of the department of clinical sciences at the University of Toronto dental school before heading west to serve as dean of the faculty of dentistry at the University British Columbia from 1978−88. Dr. Beagrie had an aptitude for providing progressive leadership with a broad, global vision. Serving as the 54th president of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), he aimed to improve the communication of ideas and dental services from which both general practitioners and the public alike could benefit. He believed that the future of dentistry was tied to a broad-based university education with a focus on research activity. With this vision, he led the IADR towards increased collaborations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the FDI World Dental Federation to help address the global neglect of oral health. From 1983−88, Dr. Beagrie was a member of the WHO Expert Panel in Dental Education, and an advisor to the Community Care Model for Oral Health at the Intercountry Centre for Oral Health in Thailand. On this panel, he helped to improve the delivery of oral health services by further integrating them into the infrastructure of existing health services. Dr. Beagrie was a Fellow in Dental Sciences of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC), serving as RCDC president from 1977−79, and was the recipient of CDA’s Distinguished Service Award in 1998–99. His report on dental research in Canada for the Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC) inspired several dental programs to raise the profile of oral health research nationally and internationally. He chaired the MRC’s Dental Sciences Committee, and administered the MRC’s Clinician Scientist Program to support dentists in combined clinical specialty and PhD research training programs. As dean of the UBC faculty of dentistry, Dr. Beagrie led by example. He strongly encouraged and supported faculty involvement in university affairs and believed that the faculty’s international reputation would rely on its strength and excellence in research. To further this goal, he initiated several dental graduate and postgraduate programs at UBC. A polite and sympathetic listener, Dr. Beagrie made some difficult decisions following fiscal pressures on the university, and it was during these challenging times that he demonstrated the judicious principles that come with strong leadership. Dr. Beagrie is survived by his wife Marjorie, daughters Jennifer, Lesley, Ailsa and Elspeth and their families. If desired, donations may be sent to the George S. Beagrie Scholarship at the UBC faculty of dentistry at: https://give. ubc.ca/beagrie-scholarship Written by: Drs. Don Brunette, Alan Hannam and Michael MacEntee, professors emeriti, UBC Dentistry. This article has been condensed and edited. A full-length version can be found in the Journal of Dental Research. 46 | 2023 | Issue 3 Obituaries
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